WSBK 2015 - Team Hero EBR makes Big changes!!

Snapshot: Hero EBR are not giving up after an abysmal year in 2014, will return for WSBK with big changes!

Hero MotoCorp, since their collaboration ended with Honda a couple or so years ago, has been on an incredible expansion spree. The expansion has not been only limited to production capacity and number of plants working in the country, but it is expanding its foot print throughout the world and their plant is coming up soon at Columbia and Hero MotoCorp is strong willed to rule the North American market as much as do here back home.

Just yesterday we reported about how Hero is taking its sports related endeavours further and has hired the Golfing Super Star Tiger Woods to be its Global Brand Ambassador for next few years. Hero has also gone ahead tied up with Erik Buell Racing, an American Dream Company for technological Partnership. Both these companies together also run their WSBK team known as the Team Hero EBR.

Team Hero EBR had a forgettable year at WSBK in 2014, but, it still will return to the WSBK paddock for 2015. The team’s return is perhaps in name only, as major changes have been made to EBR’s WSBK presence, Most notable is Team Hero EBR’s new riders — Larry Pegram and Niccolo Canepa — with Pegram having double-duties, as he will act as the Team Manager in charge of the Pegram Racing crew, which will take over running the Team Hero EBR program. Larry Pegram was the rider who brought EBR its only points in the 2014 season, scoring two points at the crash-filled Laguna Seca round.

“This coming season is something very special for me and I can’t wait to get started. Moving to the EBR motorcycles for me was a big deal, as I have wanted forever to see an American brand in performance motorcycles. Although there were only a few AMA races in 2014, my team and I learned the EBR quickly,” said Pegram. “Our points finish in WSBK at Laguna, and podium finish in the last AMA race weekend show the potential of this motorcycle, and also convinced me and EBR that Pegram Racing could play a major role in moving the EBR World Superbike effort forward,” Pegram continued.

Niccolo Canepa has also signed on with the Hero EBR team, and he will have the responsibility of showing what the EBR 1190RX can do in the hands of a world-class rider. To that tone, Canepa was the runner-up in the 2014 EVO class for the World Superbike Championship, and has experience in both the WSBK and Moto GP paddocks. “I’m delighted to join with Team Hero EBR for 2015 in the World Superbike championship. This is the perfect opportunity for me to combine my development and my racing skills,” he said.

“Being on track with the EBRs in 2014, it was very exciting for me to see an American motorcycle in our championship, and by the end of 2014 the 1190RX was getting quite fast. They came a long way from mid-season and really got my attention! I am looking forward to being part of the next step up in performance,” added Canepa.

With a year of development under its belt, and now with at least one rider who is familiar with the international venues found on the WSBK, it will be interesting to see what Erik Buell Racing can do on the race track. There are no more excuses left for poor results in 2015.